Front Plate in TX (Abilene: fit in, transfer, inspection) - Texas - City-Data Forum

kobayashimaru · 03-04-2011, 02:06 PM

Hi.
I'm originally from Denver, and I have a question about front license plates in TX.

In CO, you're supposed to display one on the front bumper, but I drove around for 5 years without one, never got it trouble, and the only people who seem to car are metermaids...

I also know that some states with front plate laws are OK with using a custom plate up front (i.e. a Euro plate), so long as it has your legal license number and you carry the real plate in the car.

I have a Volvo, and the previous owner removed the mounting bracket for the front plate. The front bumper, being on a Euro car, is set up to recieve a euro plate holder and plate.

If I get a custom Euro plate made with my legal TX license number, will that be OK and legal? Because, Texas -- I hate to tell you this, but these new 7 digit plates of yours are ugly as sin...

Thanks,
Mike

momof2dfw · 03-04-2011, 02:14 PM

I don't have one on my BMW or Cayenne as they look ugly no matter what plate on the front of them. When my 16 year old took her road test for her DL we HAD to put one on the BMW or she would not have been able to take the road test as they do a an inspection of the car. Put it on and promptly took it off when we got home.

I've never ever seen or heard of anyone in Texas getting a Euro plate w/ their Texas number on it. Not sure if that would even be allowed.

I'll tell you this though..... I have gotten a ticket for no front plate. It was years ago on a brand new car and cop was a jerk. I realize with my cars now that I do run a risk of getting stopped since it does kind of stick out and I realize that I could very well get a ticket for it. I'll pay the fine before I put one on certain cars though. My 16 year old has a front plate on her car and I've told her that when she does drive my BMW she runs the risk of getting pulled over quicker as she is a teenager and they will most likely give HER a ticket for not having it. I've known others that have gotten a ticket for it as well. Just be prepared to get the ticket and pay the fine if you don't put it on there.

As for those new plates.......... I'm not a fan of them either. They are fine and I thought they were fine until recently. I have a harder time reading the letters/numbers from a distance on those plates moreso than the older 6 digit plates.

Squirl · 03-04-2011, 02:38 PM

Don't know the answer about Europlates but suspect if you called TXDOT they'd say no to the Europlate. Twice we'd been stopped and issued warning citations while driving in hill country and Abilene because we did not have a front plate on our car. The dealership had not installed a mounting bracket and it took a lot of convincing before Park Cities Audi would finally agree to put one on w/o the $130 charge they wanted.......but they did do it and we keep the plate on. WTH, its just a car.

momof2dfw · 03-04-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squirl

The dealership had not installed a mounting bracket and it took a lot of convincing before Park Cities Audi would finally agree to put one on w/o the $130 charge they wanted.......but they did do it and we keep the plate on. WTH, its just a car.

Actually, they should put the front bracket on for FREE!!!! If a front plate is required in the state in which they are selling cars then I don't see how they can get away with not providing it and then trying to charge for it.

hoffdano · 03-04-2011, 03:01 PM

Texas requires both a front and rear plate. Many cars don't have front plates. I bet a third of the Corvettes I see don't have them. Enforcement of the front plate rule is unusual, but it does happen occasionally. I have been pulled over in my NSX because the officer thought I didn't have a front plate. But I do - it is mounted on a folding bracket and I almost never have the bracket tilted down (visible). I told the officer I forget to lower the plate after washing the car and he put his pad away and left annoyed.

Your euro plate idea won't work. The law requires a Texas license plate, not another kind of plate with a valid number. I think having an odd front plate invites more attention than no front plate. The thing about not having a front plate is that you are giving police an excuse to pull you over, or to write an additional violation if you are pulled over for something else.

stillkit · 03-04-2011, 03:42 PM

You should also know that any kind of bracket around the plate which even partially covers the word Texas can net you ticket, if the cop wants to write it.

loves2read · 03-04-2011, 03:50 PM

with money from fines helping city budgets I am surprised that more people are not getting tickets for failing to be street-legal with a front plate
I see plenty of cars when I am on the road that don't have them

and YES--the bracket does have to fully expose the lettering on the tag or that too is a fine

momof2dfw · 03-04-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillkit

You should also know that any kind of bracket around the plate which even partially covers the word Texas can net you ticket, if the cop wants to write it.

I was going to add that. You are correct.

We got pulled over last year on Christmas Eve in the snow coming down like crazy in East Texas....... going below the speed limit, current registration and inspection sticker, etc....... All because ONE of the lights around the BACK LICENSE PLATE WAS OUT! This was in a vehicle that DID have the front plate on it that we have. Headlights and tail lights worked, brake lights worked, etc. THE LIGHT AROUND THE PLATE! A LIGHT out of TWO!
No ticket but really?????

catman · 03-05-2011, 12:32 AM

I've been driving my car for 2½ years without one and haven't been stopped. It has passed inspection twice without it. I asked the person at the courthous about it when I got the title transferred, and she almost apologetically told me that TX is one of the few states which require it. I have a bracket, but haven't installed it. I'm not recommending that anyone else drive without one, since technically I'm a scofflaw.

kobayashimaru · 03-05-2011, 08:52 AM

I am too. I was just wondering. I'll take my chances with no front plate...

Lol, there is a guy back in CO that decided to "modify" the plate on his car.
In CO, the word "Colorado" is on the bottom of the plate with the registration stickers on either side of it, but there's nothing important on top. So since he has a ton of euro-spec parts on his 2002 VW GTI (including the wider euro plate bucket in back), he bought a blank French plate (because he's French) and he trimmed the top off his CO plate to fit in the euro plate frame. Technically it's "legal", since "Colorado" and the tags are still visible...